Automatic firearm



M. G. FARQUHAR AND A. H. HILLl AUTOMATIC FIREARM.

. APPLICATION man APR. l5, 1919. l

1,350,961. Patented Aug. 24, 1920. l

'UNIT-ED sTArEs PATENT oFFlcE.

MOUBRAlY-GORE FARQUHAB--ANDARTHUR HENRY HILL, BMINGHAM, IINGIIII'ANI).l

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that we, MoURAYGoRE FAR- QUHAR and ARTHUR HENRY HILL,subjects of the King of Great Britain, residing at Birmingham, in thecounty of Warwick, England, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in or Relating to Automatic Firearms, a s ecificatlon. l

ur mvention conslsts of the new or 1mof which the following is Yprovedconstruction and arrangement orcombination of parts hereinafterdescribed of automatic fire arms, the said new or improved constructionandv arrangement of parts having for their object to render theautomatic re arms patented to us on U. S.

Patents Nos. 920,301 May 4th 1909, and

1,019,620 March 5th 1912 suitable for use as a machine gun.

According to the present invention we employ the breech opening springor springs and breech closing spring of the patented automatic fire armshereinbefore referred to arranged under the barrel of the gun asheretofore, but the body and bolt cover are inverted, that is to say,the breech opening in the body which is closed and opened by the slidingof the bolt cover is presented downward and the cartridges arevfed'lntothe cartridge chamber from a magazine, belt' or other cartridge feedmechanism situated and working overthe.` body or shoe of the We willfurther describe the said invention in connection with the accompanyingdrawing Figure 1 of which represents in side elevation the completemachine gun con'- stituting our invention; Fig. 2 is a plan .of-

the same and Fig. 3 a front elevation.

Figs. 4 and 5 are sectional views of portions of the gun drawn toalarger scale than Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

The same letters of reference indicate the same parts in the severalfigures of the drawlng.

'w of the previouslyv patented automatic to say, to fire one I a is thetrigger of. the gun situated underA j sition on the inltial cooking Thetrigger tened at. its rear end to the bod ca c b the pin f. The tube i yp y seating w1 is preferably screwed on to the front end of the body orshoe b.

The stock butt dinary gun shape is attached to the body cap e and thetrigger guard dfis referably prov1ded w1th a p1sto1 grip la. of ,thetrlgger a when pulled is transmitted to the in the lock case 'i over thebody o'r shoe b by means of a lever-lc (or equivalent device) situatedand working in the body cap e.

The lock or firing mechanism represented 1s constructed sov that the guncan' be fired automatically or continuously and when deslred can bearranged for single fire, that is cartridge for each pull on thetrigger. v f

The firing mechanism comprises a hammer l arranged so as to hang ordepend from m as will be seen by an examination of Figs. 4 and 5.Thehammer spring Z3 bears on a projection or heel piece near the pivotm. The sa-id hammer Z has ltwo bents marked respectively. Z1, Z2 toengage g which may be of the or-V sear n is connected with the-Specioaton o'f Letters Patent. Patented Aug- 24, 192i). I Applicationled April 15, 1919. Serial 110.1290367.

' mechanism hereinbefore referred to and fasi he motion part of thefiring mechanism' situated trigger a through the lever c and springpressed link p which latter has a hook-like part p1 which engages withthe shouldernl at the rear Vend of the sliding sear n.

Adjacent the trigger a is a spring pressed lever a1 having a projectiona2 on its upper edge which projection, when the triggerv a is 'in itsnormal position, projects into the path of the projection c2 on theunderside of the bolt cover 0 and serves to retain the said cover c andbolt in their retracted poof the hammer l or when the trigger isreleased after l firing.

For automatic or continuous fire the trigger o:J is held in its pulledback position in which position' itv effects the retraction of- .thesliding sear n thereby preventing the bent Z1 of the hammer Zengagingthere'with, v the hammer under these conditions being retainedcocked by the engagementof the bent Z2 with the projectio u1 of theexternal s ear u which projectio u1 occuples and worksinv a slot in thelockcase the actlng -end projecting into. the pathV of the .ham-

The external sear u is automatically mer 'Z. tripped for effecting theremoval of the projectlon u1 from the bent Zf by a lug c1 on the slidingcover c, each time the cover 1n its forward motion is about -to' effectthe closing' of the breech and as the recipro-1 cation of the coverunder the action of the mechanism of the prior patents hereinbeforereferred to is automatic, and continuous automatic fire results.

On'the release of thev trigger a the sear n returns under the action ofits spring into the position for engaging with the bent ZL of the hammerZ when the same is cocked on are pulled back by the operation of thetrigger a, thelifting of the front part of the link p adjacent the Sear'n against the action of the spring s, the link p escaping or slippingout of engagement with the sear n and allowing the said sear to returninto position for rengaging the hammer Z when again cocked by thebackward motion of thebolt for effecting the extraction of the spentcartridge.

On the semi-rotation of the transverse spindle 1' for bringing the flatof the notched part uppermost as is represented in Fig. 4 the sear n,and link p remain permanently engaged and consequently on pulling thetrigger a continuous or automatic lire results until the trigger a isreleased or the magazine (not shown) or equivalent cartridge feed deviceis emptied.

The safety device for the firing mechanism consists of a lever t one ofthe arms of which, when in its operative position bears on the lever cthrough which the motion of the trigger a is transmitted to the part ofthe-firing mechanism over the body or shoe b and thereby blocks the saidlever lc and trigger aand renders them immovable.

On opposite sides of the body cap e are Aprojections or lugs e1 in whichprojecting spring pressed buffers e2 for the breech cover c are arrangedthe said buffers e2 absorbing the shock when the cover is forced backand assisting bolt closin spring ofthe prior Vpatented automatic mecanism to return the .cover c to the bolt closing position.

lThe armor link fv by which the action of the springs of the automaticmechanism is transmitted to' the sliding cover c is ar `ranged betweenthe barrel w and spring 'con- .tainmg tubeor case lw instead of on oneside `of thevgun as heretofore. We preferably arrange over the spring y1.which actuates the catch y of the automatic mechanism a metallic sheathor cover a indi' "cated in'dotted lines in Fig. 1.

On a 'rder-like bar 1 fastened at its rear i end to t e tube seating 'w1and supported at its front end by the fore end cap is a slide 2 carryingtwo lnclined trunnions or pins 3, 3 on which a pair of legs 4, 4 arejointed the said-legs in their out of use position being parallel 'andsituated close or nearly close together under the girder-like bar 1referred to and beinglfastened by a spring snap fastening 5 or t e like.By operating the spring snap fastening and thereby releasing the legs 4,4 they fall forwardvby their own weight and automatically take the Fi s.2 and 3.

magazine ofthe kind described, represented and claimed in the completespecification of our pending application Serial No. 268968 whichmagazine is arranged on the pvot 6 situated on the upper end of the tubeseating lw1 which is fastened on the front end of the body b and thecartridge magazine is preferably secured in position b the springpressed lever 7 on the front en of the lock case z' situated over thebody b.

The back sight `8 is arran ed on the lock case i and being elevated witrespect to the body b the foresight 9 is made capable of turning on apivot 10 lso that it can be turned up into position for use as.illustrated in Figs. 1 and 3, or turned down into a horizontal positionover the barrel when the gun is not in use, a spring pressed slide withV shaped acting end engaging in one or other of the V shaped notchestofirmly iix the foresight in one or other of the two positions.

When the gun is to be used on a lixed mounting for which trunnions 11,11 are provided the stock butt and pivoted legs 4, 4 hereinbeforedescribed may be dispensed with.

We cla1m 1. In an automatic ire arm the combination with a body having asliding breech closing cover arranged thereon and operating the bolt togive it a backward and forward sliding motion, a depending hammerpivoted over the body and mechanism arranged overthe body for retainingthe said hammer in the cocked position against the action of its spring,said mechanism comprising spring e prefer to employ a rotary cartridge lroo pressed pivoted and sliding elements connected at their rear ends toal ivoted lever the end of one arm of whichnears on the trigger lever.

2. In anautomatic tire arm the combination with a body having a slidingbreech closing cover arranged on the lunderside of the body and operatmthe bolt on its backv bod'yrhaving twovbents,

wardjand forward s lding motion, a lock case supported on 1- said body,a depending hammer pivoted in' vthe lock case .over the an' internalsliding sear for engaging one of said' bents and a acting when thetrigger is held back for the purpose of obtaining continuous fire.

3. In an automatic lire armv the combination with a body having 'asliding breech closing cover arranged on the underside of the body andoperating the bolt on its backward and forward sliding motion, a lock.

case supported on said body, a depending hammer pivoted in the lock caseover'the body having two bents, an mternal sliding sear for engaging oneof said bents and an an external 4when the latter is actuated to ternalsear acting when external pivoted sear for engaging the other bent, saidexternal sear having a projection working in a slot in the lock case, alever and spring pressed link for operating said in- .ternal sear by thetrigger-and a projection on the sliding breach closing cover foroperating said external sear, the external sear acting when the triggeris held back for the purpose of obtaining continuous tire, the slidinglink of the internal sear having in combination therewith meansoperating when the mechanism is set for single fire for disengaging thesaid link from the sear the extent proper for releasing the hammer.

4. In an automatic re arm the combination with a body havingV a slidingbreech closing coverarranged on the underside of the body and operatingthe bolt on its backward .and forward sliding motion, a lock casesupported on ,said body, a depending hammer pivoted in said lock casehaving two bents, an internal sliding Sear for engaging one of saidbents and a projection on pivoted sear for engaging the other bent, saidprojection working in a slot in the lock case, a lever and springpressed link for operating the internal sear and a projection on the.sliding breech closing cover for operating the external sear, the exthetrigger is held back for the purpose of obtaining continuous fire, thesliding link of the internal sear having means` operating when the saidexternal sear havin breech openlng Atheir rear end to a mechanism is setfor single fire for disengaging the said link vfrom the sear when thelatter is actuated to the proper extent for releasing the hammer, aspring pressed catch coperating with the trigger and adapted to engage aprojection on the sliding cover when the trigger is released and thecover' is pressed into the breech opening osition by the automaticmechanism of the re arm.

`5. In an automatic fire arm the combina]- tion with 'a body havi asliding breech closing cover arranged n the underside of the body andoperating the bolt on its backward and forward sliding motion, adepending hammer pivoted over the body having two bents, an internalsliding sear for engaging one of said bents and an external pivoted searfor engaging the other bent, a projection work'- ing in a slot' in theloc case, a lever and spring pressed sliding link for operating theinternal sear from the trigger. and a projec tion on vthe sliding breechclosing cover for operating the external scar, the external sear actingwhen the trigger is held back for the purpose of obtaining continuousfire, the sliding link of the'v internal sear having means operating'when the mechanism is set for single fire for disengaging the said linkfrom the sear when the latter is drawn back to the extent proper forreleasing the hammer, a spring pressed catch adjacent the trigger whichengages with a projection on the sliding cover when the trigger isreleased and the cover is pressed into the position by the automaticmechanism of the fire arm, and a safety lever one of the arms of whichwhen in its operative position bears on said lever and locksI thetrigger in inoperative position.

6. -In an automatic fire arm the combination' with a body having asliding breech closing cover arranged on the underside of the body orshoe, a link connected at its rear end to said cover and at its forwardend to the rear of the breech opening spring of the automatic mechanism,said link being situated and working between the underside of the barreland the spring containing tube of the automatic mechanism and operatingthe breech cover to open and close the breech, a depending hammerpivoted over the body and mechanism arranged'over the body for retainingthe said hammer in the cocked position against the action of its spring,said mechanism comprising spring pressed pivoted and sliding elementsconnected at pivoted lever bearing at one end on the trigger lever.

7. In an automatic're arm the combina-- tion ofv a sliding cover,- ahammer auto.- matically placed in cocked position a sliding sear and apivoted searfor re easably maintaining said hammer in cocked position,manual means including a pivoted 130 I lever and. a sliding link forreleasing said sliding sear from the hammer, and a lug on said coveradapted to release said pivoted sear just prior to the closing of thebreech by said cover. l

8. In an automatic fire arm the combination of a trigger, a sear, apivoted lever and sliding link actuated by said trigger for manuallyreleasing said sear, means coperating with said sliding link forreleasing the latter from the control of said trigger, said means beingmovable to restore said link to operative'position for automatic {iringand a safety device adapted to act on said lever to lock the trigger ininactive 15 position.

In testimony whereof'we have hereunto set our hands in presence of twosubscribing witnesses. y

MOUBRAY GORE FARQUHAR. ARTHUR HENRY HILL. Witnesses:

ARTHUR J. POWELL, WILLIAM J. Bowxmz.

